The present invention relates to a formed male contact for an electrical connector.
As shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 14, a known male contact has a mating section for mating with a female contact on one end of a base and a wire connecting section on another end of the base. The male contact is formed by stamping and forming from a metallic plate.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a mating section of the conventional male contact taken along the direction perpendicular to the mating direction as shown in Japanese Toku-Kai-Hei 8-162191. A mating section 10a is formed in such a manner that both edge portions 51a represented by a broken line in an initial position are folded as shown by the arrows a. Once folded, the edge portions 51a abut one another at the center of the plate member 50a. 
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a mating section of another conventional male contact taken along the direction perpendicular to the mating direction as shown in Japanese Toku-Kai-Hei 7-192793. A mating section 10b is formed in such a manner that both edge portions 51b represented by a broken line in an initial position are wound as shown by arrows b, so that both the edge portions 51b meet one another at the center of the plate member. Thus, the mating section 10b is different from the mating section 10a formed by folding of both the edge portions as shown in FIG. 10, and is provided with cavity sections 52b and 52b at both edges of the mating section 10b by winding.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a mating section of another conventional male contact taken along the direction perpendicular to the mating direction as shown in Japanese Toku-Kai-Hei 8-162191. A mating section 10c is formed in such a manner that a plate member 50c represented by a broken line in an initial position is folded along a center axis extending in the mating direction as shown by an arrow c. Both edge portions abut one another at one end of the plate member 50c and thereby form a cavity 52c. 
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a mating section of another male contact before folding as taught by Japanese Toku-Kai-Hei 9-147947. A mating section at one end of a base 20d is formed in such a manner that plate member 50d having a length twice the mating section extending along the mating direction is folded as shown by arrow d at the intermediate section 53d in a longitudinal direction the top of the mating section.
FIG. 14 shows another male contact disclosed by the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication Gazette. Part (a) of FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state of the mating section before bending of the mating section of the male contact. Part (b) of FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state of the mating section after the bending of the mating section of the male contact. A mating section 10e shown in the part (b) of FIG. 14 is formed by performing bending plate member 50e shown in the part (a) of FIG. 14. The bending is performed in such a manner that both edge portions 51e, which extend in the mating direction from a base (not illustrated) to a top portion 54d of a plate member 50e, are folded as shown by arrows e1. Both of the edge portions 51e abut one another at the center of the plate member 50e, and the edge side of the top portion 54d of the plate member is folded as shown by arrows e2 to the base side (not illustrated).
Higher density of loading electric components requires compact male contacts. However, it is difficult to implement the compact mating sections having the conventional aspects as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 14 with a plate member having a plate thickness satisfying a desired strength. Specifically, in the event that the mating section 10a formed by folding of both the edges as shown in FIG. 10 is formed using a plate member having a plate thickness satisfying a desired strength, a narrower width w (FIG. 10) of the mating section is more difficult to achieve by folding both the edges. Folding of both the edges under these conditions may result in a mating section having a rounded or circular circle cross section. This will cause a contact area with a female contact to be small, and thus there is a possibility of an unreliable electrical contact between the male and female contacts. Further, the mating section 10b formed by winding of both edge portions as shown in FIG. 11 has no flat portion on the top thereof, so that a contact area with an resilient contact segment of the female contact is small, and thus it is difficult to enhance a reliability of the electric contact. In the event that the mating section 10c formed by folding on the center axis as shown in FIG. 12 is formed using a plate member having a plate thickness satisfying a desired strength with a the narrower width w of the mating section, an arc-like shape results on the folded side. This will cause a contact area with an resilient contact segment of the female contact to be small, and thus it is difficult to enhance a reliability of the electric contact. In the event that the mating section formed by bending by folding to the base side as shown in FIG. 13 needs a plate member having twice length of the mating section extending along the mating direction. This presents a basic problem that the production efficiency is not so good and a yield rate of the materials is low, while the contact area is secured. The mating section 10c formed by folding of three points as shown in FIG. 14 is problematic because a possibility that a resilient contact segment of the female contact is damaged by a seam on an upper surface of the mating section, as well as the basic problem that the production efficiency is relatively low.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a male contact solving the above-mentioned problems, or a male contact which has high reliability electric contact with the female contact and has a mating section capable of being formed compactly using a plate member having a plate thickness satisfying a desired strength.
The present invention provides a male contact formed by folding a metallic plate. The male contact has a base and a mating section adapted to mate with a female contact. A mating section is formed on the contact in such a manner that two plate members, which individually extend from the base, are superimposed on one another by folding on the base. The two plate members superimposed on one another each have a flat section extending in a mating direction and are formed flat on an associated outer surface opposite to surfaces on which the two plate members are in contact with one another. A tip of one of the two plate members is folded to overlap a tip of another.
In the male contact according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that the mating section has a projecting section on one of the two plate members superimposed on one another. The projecting section projects toward another plate member, and a recess portion adapted to mate said projecting section with said another plate member.